Extended Family
by Radical618
Summary: Focusing on the character Danielle, who is struggling to regain the bond she just rekindled with her mother, the infamous but since redeemed Queen Regina. In an instant, she is ripped away from her family by the remains of a still powerful Cora, her grandmother. She and a now older Henry, the two spared from the uprooting in Charming castle, go on a quest to find their families.
1. Chapter 1

Eyes opening in a flash; breathing heavy, hair line covered in sweat beads; curling fingers, rolling ankles, arching back, Danielle plead that she wasn't alone – not again. Body bent upward, taking in the stillness around her; curtains torn, table legs broken, wallpaper hanging limply as the breeze touched it slightly, she sensed struggling around her. The fight that had ensued was long gone – her friends, her peers, her loyalties – her mother. Relationship newly found, bonds just tendered now ripped away in an instant by a force so unruly she winced at the memory of its rebirth. This mystery named Cora was an evil energy that dared to not be squashed, diminished, defeated; was there no way to kill her? She felt a tickle drifting down her left cheek, an open wound, sliced thin. Danielle wiped the leak with her right thumb, leaving the wound still exposed to the uprooted room around her, more broken possessions, damaged wall, fractured peace of mind. Woozy on her feet, still determined; where did they vanish to? Her mother's outstretched hand, inches from her; purple smoke appeared - gone. Hazed vision prohibited her from details, but most shapes, colors, and generic details were made out in the destroyed room. A shoe was oddly placed – a foot! A foot, brown shoe clad. A sock, leg pants, body, face – Henry! Fragile but strong Henry lay silent, lids closed. No damnit, she mustered what was left and he awoke gasping for air.

"Where is my mother, Emma? Where did you send her?"

"You may not trust us Henry, but we didn't do this. My mother isn't who you think; I am not the evil at play here."

"Just your filthy grandmother. Cora did this; she took my family away again!"

"Shut it kid. You think this is rough for you? Regina was also taken, the woman who raised you, abandoned me, the daughter of that witch. My family is missing and screwed up. At least yours is somewhat normal."

"I despise your mother – she may have raised me, but it's nothing I happily admit to."

"You were nice as a kid, Henry. Let's just find them. Where's the portal."

A twisted voice came from the end of the room, once lavish, now destroyed. "Burning in the forest, dearies!"

While his skin may have not withered back into the green roughness that once covered him in entirety, Rumplestiltskin was as powerful as ever. He leaned on his cane – the one he had acquired as the cunning Mr. Gold, and was smiling eerily. He picked his teeth with his index finger and chuckled.

"Why are you just sitting here then?" Enraged, the older Henry seemed to be filled with anger consistently. "Help us do something, coward!"

I pushed Henry aside; his mother would be furious with his actions, for he was being the coward. "Gold, what aren't you telling us? What's the secret?" There always was one with Mr. Gold. Danielle still called him that, that's who she met him, before she was brought to the Enchanted Forest.

"She's waiting there, to slaughter!" He let out a high pitched laugh. Snapping his fingers, he vanished like steam into the dust filled room. Henry pulled his grandfather's sword from his sheath and bounded towards the door. Danielle grabbed him with her extended hand, derived from her magic abilities, halting the adolescent prince in his tracks.

"Henry. You are not ready to face my grandmother. Our families almost died plenty of times trying to defeat her."

"No thanks to your family" He muttered under his breath. Danielle ignored him. This wasn't a new fad, him dishonoring her blood.

"There are other portals here now, thanks to our families working together to restore the forest to what it was before my mother cursed this land. Don't forget she helped to rebuild it too, baby Charming." Danielle smirked; he hated being referred to as Baby Charming, though everyone did it anyway. "Let's head to Ruby's. She'll be able to find a portal for us. And protect us better than your sword and my magic alone." Reluctant to agree, Henry did anyway, nodding just once.

Magic at the ready, sword in hand, the seemingly two frienemies walked the halls of the Charming castle, guards and knights checking Henry to make sure he was okay, apologizing for not being there to fight at his side. Showing noticeably less attention to Danielle, the girl who everybody hesitated to trust, except for a handful of those who she was thankful to have in her life. Snow and Charming were surprisingly quick to accept her, based on being the child of a women who had for so long tried to ruin their lives. Emma too treated her as kin, but only after Danielle had once proved herself when they thought they had finally defeated Cora. And of course her mother is always at her side, fighting for Danielle with all her being, for the memory Danielle holds in Regina's mind is too strong to ever let her daughter out of her grasp again.


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing to see but their dangling feet below them, arms stretched tightly above their heads a faint purple smoke began to grow, bringing enough light for the four allies to make each other out briefly, until the light disappeared again. A voice, feminine and deep rang through their ears; familiar hate grew within each of them, all for different reasons. Brushing their cheeks with a wisp of her smoky hand, Cora paused briefly at the right cheek of her daughters; a thin cut elicited a small drop of dark red blood slowly down her cheek. Cora stopped the trail; wound still exposed to the elements. She laughed an evil laugh, but she was pleased with her accomplishments. If they wanted to cause her so much pain, kill her, take her power – her life, she could return the pain to them; suffering from watching their most precious loved ones perish. She heard some rattling of chains, Charming struggled to get loose. He soon found a metal collar around his neck, arms, legs, and waist; movement was over.

"Send us back to our children, now, Cora. You don't have to take your suffering out on us."

"Oh my dear Princess Emma, it is not my suffering that you will die for, oh no you four won't be dying at all…but your suffering. You will watch them die."

"Mother this is madness. We defeated you. For once in your life accept defeat."

"Never an option Regina dearest. Honestly, look where it got you…" She shook her head with fierce disappointment. "Now if you four will look forward, my looking glass will provide you with your entertainment, until I decided their fate is up." Her twisted smile vibrated through each of them as though she had struck them. They saw their loved ones, their two green children walking through the forest, wits about them, eyes wide in fear that they tried desperately not to show. "Watch and learn you four! I will show you how to end a life." With a flick of her wrists she vanished into purple haze. Charming's collars sprung loose, but he was still bound be wrists and ankles.

Henry's voice filled the room through the large rectangular looking glass, the very same Regina had once shoved her mother through. "Ruby's is just passed this lake."

"I know."

"I'm just saying it aloud so it helps us keep track of what's happening."

"Losing my mother…again…is not very hard to forget Henry."

"I'm not saying you or I, thank you, forgot that our families are missing. I'm just saying it keeps us focused."

"God you're your mother's son. How very Emma Swan of you. Listen I may not have been here for as long as you, but I know this forest, this land. It's in my blood. And before you say it, it's not soiled or evil or damned or dark or anything. My blood is just as good and noble and pure as yours."

All four of the trapped allies smiled, even if perhaps in different ways. The elder Charmings were impressed to see a girl they had once met with no knowledge of their land or traditions defend it so strongly. Emma, though not as fond as the others of Danielle, especially since she had just attacked her son, was still honored to hear her family given such high praise from someone who could so easily despise them. And Regina, her mother, who had so recently found her daughter after years of shame and fear, was proud. Proud to see the strength Danielle exhibited. Proud to see the intellect of the young adult. Proud to see herself within her own flesh and blood; the self that was powerful and good.

"Cora won't beat them. They will beat her together – it's the only way. My mother, she…she knows the four of us too well, from when we fought her trying to enter our land again, and when she was summoned by the dark forces that surrounded the Black Forest. But she doesn't know them. Snow, James…Emma. I assure you; Henry and Danielle will win."


End file.
